To initiate the upgrade, visit the Software Center available on your computer (your computer must be a UBC IT Desktop Services Supported PC). The Software Center can be found by clicking the icon 
pinned on your task bar or by searching ‘Software Center’ in the search bar. In the Software Center, click the ‘Updates’ tab and look for the ‘Windows 11, version 23H2 x64 2024-***’ upgrade package.
pinned on your task bar or by searching ‘Software Center’ in the search bar. In the Software Center, click the ‘Updates’ tab and look for the ‘Windows 11, version 23H2 x64 2024-***’ upgrade package. You can check if your hardware meets compatibility requirements for Windows 11 by installing and running the “Windows 11 – Compatibility Check” app from the UBC Software Center’s Applications section.
Please note: Running the Windows 11 – Compatibility Check app is not a requirement or a pre-requisite for receiving the offer to upgrade in Software Center. Further, if your PC does not meet hardware requirements, the Windows 11 upgrade will simply not appear in your Software Center, and you will not be able to download or install the upgrade.
Please note: Running the Windows 11 – Compatibility Check app is not a requirement or a pre-requisite for receiving the offer to upgrade in Software Center. Further, if your PC does not meet hardware requirements, the Windows 11 upgrade will simply not appear in your Software Center, and you will not be able to download or install the upgrade.
No. Keep your laptop connected to AC power during the entire process. This is most important when you restart your PC to apply the upgrade.
Yes. If you have a stable internet connection, you can run this installation from anywhere.
The upgrade will take approximately 90 minutes for the download and installation phase. This can be completed while you work. For the upgrade to be applied to your PC, you will need to restart your computer. The restart process will take an additional 10-15 minutes.
Please note: The installation phase depends on the hardware specs on your computer. Older PCs or PCs with low hardware specs may require a longer installation phase.
Please note: The installation phase depends on the hardware specs on your computer. Older PCs or PCs with low hardware specs may require a longer installation phase.
You can continue working on your computer. However, it is recommended to keep your application use to a minimum and we suggest completing this upgrade during a non-peak period of your workday. The upgrade will take approximately 90 minutes for the download and installation phase.
Once the installation completes, the status of the update in Software Center will display as ‘Required Restart’. In addition, both a restart notification will show in the notification area of your taskbar, and a short-lived balloon pop-up will appear at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen when the restart prompt is triggered.
Please note: The installation phase depends on the hardware specs on your computer. Older PCs or PCs with low hardware specs may require a longer installation phase.
Once the installation completes, the status of the update in Software Center will display as ‘Required Restart’. In addition, both a restart notification will show in the notification area of your taskbar, and a short-lived balloon pop-up will appear at the bottom right-hand corner of the screen when the restart prompt is triggered.
Please note: The installation phase depends on the hardware specs on your computer. Older PCs or PCs with low hardware specs may require a longer installation phase.
At the end of the installation, which will take approximately 90 minutes (dependent on the hardware specs of your computer), you will be required to restart your computer. This restart process will take approximately 10-15 minutes. By initiating the upgrade yourself you can have control over when you would like this 10-minute restart to take place. While you will be able to work during the 90-minute installation phase, you will not be able to work during the 10-minute restart phase.
As the October 14, 2025 deadline to upgrade to Windows 11 approaches, if you do not upgrade to Windows 11 yourself, UBC IT will need to force the install and sequentially trigger a 2-week countdown for an automated restart. For this reason, it is encouraged to upgrade to Windows 11 as early as possible.
As the October 14, 2025 deadline to upgrade to Windows 11 approaches, if you do not upgrade to Windows 11 yourself, UBC IT will need to force the install and sequentially trigger a 2-week countdown for an automated restart. For this reason, it is encouraged to upgrade to Windows 11 as early as possible.
Yes. 25GB of free space is required for the upgrade to install. Unless you have 25GB of free space available on your C: drive, the upgrade will not appear in the Updates tab in the Software Center. UBC IT is aware of disk space issues on certain PCs. If you are unable to clear 25GB of disk space yourself, we will follow up with those who need further support to remediate this problem. If you can clear 25GB of disk space, the ability to upgrade to Windows 11 will automatically show up under your Upgrades tab in the Software Center within about 48 hours (about 2 days).
At your convenience, restart your computer and then attempt the upgrade again. If you continue to receive an error message after restarting and attempting the upgrade a second time, please reach out to the IT Service Centre for assistance.
You should contact the IT Service Centre as soon as possible.
In the search bar, type ‘winver’ and run the command. A window will appear that will tell you if you are on Windows 10 or Windows 11.
No. Everything takes place locally on your system. At no point in the process will any data be copied elsewhere.
